Japanese Holly Dark Green Japanese holly is often grown as a substitute for box in gardens which have suffered from box blight, as it tolerates hard clipping and is ideal for hedging and topiary. Ilex crenata Dark Green is a fairly slow-growing, robust, evergreen shrub or small tree, with an upright habit, ideal for hedging. The small, glossy leaves emerge light green, soon darkening to deep green. A few, insignificant, cream flowers are borne in May and June, followed by small black berries in autumn. Ilex crenata Dark Green is particularly good clipped as a dwarf hedge, and is also good in containers. Site: Tolerates exposureSoil: Any reasonably fertile, moist but well-drained soil, acid to neutral preferredPosition: Full sun to partial shadeSeason of interest: All yearHardiness: Very hardyHeight: up to 13’ (4m) Spread: 4’ (1.2m) in 10 years if left unclippedHedging Spacings: 6"-9" (15cm-23cm) for hedges up to 2ftSpace 9"-12" (23cm-30cm) apart for hedges 2-4ftSpace 1ft (30cm) apart for hedges over 4ft Photos by David Stang, Harum Koh, and Cultivar, cropped, and licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 and 4.0.